Monday, August 27, 2012

Raghu Veera Gadhyam of Vedantha Desika

“Vedanta Desika's
Raghuveera Gadyam, which celebrates Lord Rama's valour, was composed when he
was residing at the temple town of Thiruvendipuram in Tamil Nadu. The temple
has icons of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita, and here Rama is seen as Kodandarama
(with a bow in His hand).

Inspired by this, Desika wrote Raghuveera Gadyam, in which he
focuses on Rama as a ‘veera' (warrior). But Rama was not an ordinary warrior.
He was a ‘mahaveera.' He was not only capable of fighting courageously Himself,
but could also lead an army. Thus, He combined in Himself the qualities of
courage and leadership. Hence, Desika referred to Him as a ‘mahaveera,' said
Vaduvur Veeraraghavachariar. In fact, Raghuveera Gadyam is known as Mahaveera
Vaibhavam.” Gadhya means “prose” . The great poet chose this unusual form
possibly because the existence of Three great books (Gadhya
Thrayam) written in Gadhyam style by by the great Acharya Ramanuja,”(Source :http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/religion/article2633529.ece)

The
book does not attempt to tell the story
of Ramayana and not even summarize Ramayana but brings before us some of the very important and striking scenes of Ramayana . The words used vary from soft to hard and
takes great care to make it most suitable to describe the scene
that it depicts.

Victory, Victory
to the greatly valorous one, Who is in front of
all very bold people,

Who during the war between devas and asuras , was accepted
as one of unsurpassed and complete valour, who was imperishable and of great fame, who took the form of the son of
Dasaratha as per the request of the devas who were troubled by the ten headed
Ravana,

Who is the lotus opened by the Sun in the clan of the Sun, who
by his birth removed the debt for the
manes of Dasaratha who helped Indra
during his war, who being born as the son of the daughter of Kosala and assumed
the activities of a child and hid the real causal reason for his birth,

8.Koumara keli
gopayitha koushikaadwara,

9.Ranaa dwara durya bhavya divyasthra brundha vandhitha,

10. Pranatha jana vimadhana
dhurlalitha dhorlalitha,

Who like a sport of a lad protected the
fire sacrifice of Sage Viswamithra, Who was saluted with humility by the crowd of divine arrows waiting for his commands at the
battle, Who shines with his fearsome shoulders that lead to the destruction of
enemies of those who salute him,

“You
were praised by great lady ahalya, who was the wife of sage
goutama, by cleansing her sin
by the dust and touch of Your lotus feet, and also
getting her true form from that of the state of being a stone. Your lotus feet
is so pure and holy that the sacred ganga which
flowed from the head of the Lord Siva who is a master in dancing and who wears
the moon as a ornament on his head.”, victory, victory(from http://www.srivaishnavan.com/upload2.5/raghuveeragadyam.html)

13.Kusika sutha kadhitha vidhitha nava vividha kadha, jaya, jaya

You heard the varied
types of stories told by Viswamithra
the son of Kusika, victory, victory.

14.Maithila nagara
sulochana lochana chakora chandra, jaya, jaya

Oh Lord who was like
a Chakora bird’s moon to the pretty eyed ladies of Mithila, victory,
victory

The sage with an axe
who had a in his hand, Hundred billions times hard and hundred times
more efficient bow which was hard
practice , and you showed
that you can bend the bow to send an arrow and showed him
your supreme glory.

You put an end using
a broad arrow resembling the lock of the door , to the good period of the lord of Bhrugu clan who killed

the king with thousand arms and faces who himself defeated the ten faced Ravana, who shook the
Kailasa mountain, defeated Devendra
and exhibited the wounds inflicted on him by the majestic elephant of Indra

And also killed
twenty one generations of kings
and did oblation to his father in the pond filled with their blood ., victory , victory

You sent a blade of grass
from your Durbha bed at the son
of Indra in the form of crow
,interested in eating flesh with the
power of Brahmastra and he
greatly scared approached all gods
and sages, victory , victory.

27.Druhina hara valamadhana duraaraksha , saralaksha , jaya , jaya.

Even all gods could not protect that son of Indra from the aim of your arrow, victory, victory.

AAranya Kandam

28.Dandakaa thapovana jangama Parijatha , jaya, jaya.

You were the moving wish giving tree of
Dandadka forest , victory,
victory.

You sent your fierce arrow
at the broad and stone like chest
of the king of monkeys , who
caught the anxious Ravana
who came to fight and keeping him in his arm pit flew
to the four oceans to do his
daily oblations , victory, victory.

You embraced the monkey lord who was the son of wind god , which appeared
to him as giving all that he desired and you blessed him
to cross the very great ocean
and set fire to the town.victory, victory

Your brother who
after killing Indrajith
with angry enthusiasm after disturbing
his black magic homa with
the limitless monkey army by making
screeching sounds and throwing
waves of water , witnessed your
great battle with the Rakshasas with
great pride , victory, victory.

Your path of chariot was made scented by the showering of flowers of Kalpaga tree which was further added by the thousand happy eyes of Indra, (which looked
like a forest of fully opened lotus flowers)
seeing you cut off the heads of Ravana by Brahmastra , after they fell and appeared again .victory,
victory

You were saluted and
praised by great sages using praises
worthy of Vedas after Mandodhari
, the young Rakshasa lady lamented at her loss her very
strong lord of the universe
using words containing Vedic
truths due to her very great sorrow.victory,
victory

Your foot golden foot rest shined like the
golden meru mountain and when
your shining lotus , was
reflected in the crowns of the saluting kings , it appeared as if , it was
being worshipped with lighted camphor.victory, victory

78.Divya bhouma
Ayodhya adhi daivatha, jaya , jaya

You were the
presiding deity of the two Ayodhyas (one in heaven and another in earth),
victory , victory